The Community Nursing and Health Promotion teams are hosting a stall at the Canister in Jamestown on Friday 17 May 2024 from 10:00 to 13:00. This event is to raise awareness for World Hypertension Day, with the theme ‘Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer’.
What is Hypertension?
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, occurs when the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is consistently too high. The World Health Organization defines it as having a reading of 130/80 mmHg or higher. Left untreated, hypertension can lead to serious health problems.
Hypertension usually has no symptoms until it causes damage. It significantly increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and more.
Here’s what you can do to manage your blood pressure:
Get regular check-ups and have your blood pressure measured
Maintain a healthy weight
Eat a balanced diet low in salt
Exercise regularly
Limit alcohol consumption
Don’t smoke
Take medication as prescribed by your doctor
Visit our stall or contact us to learn more about hypertension, its prevention, and how to control it.
The project to widen and resurface Field Road is progressing well. All hillside and road surfacing excavation works are now complete. The service strip, which contains an empty duct which will allow services to be installed in the future, is currently underway. The slipper drain is also now under construction. This collects and directs road and hillside surface water run-off into the cross drains, which then dissipate the energy of the flow before discharging the water downhill. These works are expected to be completed this month.
The geological conditions encountered during the construction works proved to be more challenging than anticipated. This resulted in the contractor having to undertake significantly more hillside excavation than originally estimated. This means that additional time and resources will be required to complete the project.
Side Path Road will close for an additional six weeks to complete the concrete work at the transition and junction. We will provide specific closure dates as soon as they are confirmed.
The re-opening of Field Road, including the Side Path Road section, is now estimated to take place in late October 2024. However, this is subject to constant review as there are variables, such as weather conditions, which could impact progress further.
Notes to Editor
The Field Road project is part of the £30 million Economic Development Investment Programme (EDIP), funded by the UK Government.
The additional excavation quantities were only confirmed by the project team after ministers gave their updates on the Field Road project during their constituency meetings in March 2024. Therefore the information regarding the impact to the project were not available to ministers at that time.
The Provisional Register of Electors for 2024 will be published on Friday 10 May 2024.
After its publication on Friday 10 May, eligible persons will have until 16:00 on Friday 24 May 2024 to submit applications to amend the Provisional Register.
Amendments that can be made include the following:
Adding your name
Removing your name
Removing the name of someone who has died, left the island or who might no longer be eligible for inclusion in the Register.
The Registration Officer aims to publish a final Register of Electors which is as up-to-date and accurate as possible. Eligible persons will be able to apply to amend any of their personal details which may be out of date. For example, they may have changed their name or address and wish to update their registration details.
The importance of including accurate information in the register cannot be overstated, so when it is published, please check it to make sure your details are accurate. The Registration Officer can check the details for you if you will not be able to access a copy of the register when it is published.
It will be possible to amend the register to enable voting in a different district from that in which you reside. For example, an eligible person may live in Longwood and work in Jamestown, so when there is an election, it may be more convenient for them to vote in Jamestown during the working day. It is possible for the register to accommodate this, provided the eligible person makes an application to do so.
Persons eligible to be registered must:
Have St Helenian Status as defined in the Immigration Ordinance, 2011
Be 17 years of age or older with St Helena as their ordinary place of residence
For persons who are present on St Helena, applications to amend the register using the prescribed ‘Form A’ can be submitted to the Registration Officer, at the Castle, between 10 and 24 May 2024 or via email through carol.henry@sainthelena.gov.sh
Persons who have St Helenian status and who are ordinarily resident on the island but who are currently absent in connection with employment, education or training or for the purposes of medical treatment and have not been absent for a continuous period of 30 months or for periods exceeding in aggregate 625 days in the preceding 30 months, can apply to amend the register by using the prescribed ‘Form B’.
The final Register of Electors for the 12 month period commencing 1 July 2024 will be published towards the end of June.
If your name is not on the Register of Electors you will not be able to stand or vote in any bye-election or general election. It is therefore your responsibility to check the Provisional Register when it is issued and to make an application to have your name included if it is not already listed.
St Helena Government (SHG) recently announced that public information meetings to raise awareness of ongoing work towards the introduction of data protection policy/ legislation would take place during May 2024. These meetings will be held in various districts across the island. The first meeting will take place at the Half Tree Hollow Community Centre on Thursday 9 May at 19:30.
Subsequent district information meetings will take place at 19:30 as follows:
Venue
Date
Jamestown Community Centre
Monday, 13 May 2024
Guinea Grass Community Centre
Tuesday, 14 May 2024
Harford Community Centre
Thursday, 16 May 2024
Sandy Bay Community Centre
Monday, 27 May 2024
Blue Hill Community Centre
Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Levelwood Community Centre
Thursday, 30 May 2024
St Michael’s Church, Rupert’s
Monday, 3 June 2024
Residents of the Alarm Forest electoral district are encouraged to attend meetings at Harford Community Centre or Jamestown Community Centre.
The following information will be discussed:
What is data protection?
What does it mean to the individual?
How might legislation affect businesses and organisations?
The Education, Skills and Employment Portfolio offers non-compulsory nursery education for all children between the ages of three to four years.
We will be in contact with parents/guardians of those children born on island and who are eligible to enter nursery education in the school year September 2024 – August 2025. This is to offer a place in nursery education and to give details of school placement and date of admission.
It would be appreciated if parents of children who were not born on St Helena could submit the following information in writing to the Assistant Director of Schools Kerry Lawrence so that an offer of placement can be made:
The child’s full name and date of birth
Name and address of parent or guardian
Telephone number and email address (if applicable)
Once all required information has been received, parents will be advised of their child’s nursery placement.
It should be noted that a child should attend school in the catchment area where he/she is resident. However, for non-compulsory schooling, exceptions will only be made for regular attendance outside the identified catchment area if numbers in the requested school are low enough to accommodate the extra intake and if there is a valid reason for this, such as child care.
Parents who would like their child to attend nursery schooling outside of their catchment area must apply in writing to the Assistant Director of Schools stating which school they would like their child to attend and the reason for the placement outside of their catchment area. In such cases parents must be willing to take responsibility for transporting their child to and from school.
Correspondence can be sent to the Assistant Director of Schools Kerry Lawrence at the Education and Learning Centre, Jamestown or by email to kerry.lawrence@sainthelena.gov.sh.
In April 2023 it was announced that access to certain areas of the Peaks National Park (PNP) would be prohibited. This was in response to the increasing concerns of the presence of plant pathogens affecting endemic trees within the PNP and the potential for these to spread,
This prohibition was initially put in place until the end of December 2023 and then extended until March 2024 when it would be reviewed on the basis of relevant information and evidence.
Since the discovery of the pathogens over a year ago, the Environment, Natural Resources and Planning Portfolio (ENRP) has been working to identify the pathogens present, confirm that these pathogens are causing the tree deaths within the PNP and monitor the spread. This has been in collaboration with the St Helena Research Institute (SHRI), the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) and the Birmingham Institute for Forest Research (BIFor) primarily under the Darwin Plus DPLUS157 ‘Managing the Pathogens Affecting St Helena’s Biodiversity and Food Security’ project.
Over the past few months personnel from CABI and BIFor, supported by on-island staff from the SHRI and ENRP, have undertaken inoculation experiments on selected PNP plant species to assess vulnerability or resistance to plant pathogens. Genetic analysis to identify the presence of plant pathogens has also been done on plant material from trees that were showing symptoms of being infected. A report on the results of this work along with recommendations on how we can move forward both in terms of access to the PNP and the conservation of the Peaks’ habitats and species is now being worked on.
It is therefore regrettable but necessary for the sites within the PNP that have Environmental Protection Notices (EPNs) erected to remain closed for the next few months. Following receipt of the results and recommendations, ENRP will formulate and implement a plan for access. These recommendations could be that some areas of the PNP will remain closed for the foreseeable future or that some areas will be opened with appropriate biosecurity measures in place.
As per current procedure, those who need access to prohibited sites for essential work can apply to the Chief Environmental Officer Isabel Peters by telephone on 24724 or by email through Isabel.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh.
We will continue to provide updates to the public and would like to thank everyone for their support and patience in helping to ensure St Helena’s important species and habitats are protected as far as possible.
The St Helena Government (SHG) is committed to protecting the privacy of its citizens and residents in the digital age. As the island embraces new technologies, SHG is working to introduce comprehensive data protection legislation.
Following a thorough initial phase of research and consultation, SHG has taken a significant step towards safeguarding data privacy. SHG has enlisted the expertise of Bruce & Butler Ltd, a UK-based data protection consultancy, to develop a robust data privacy legal framework. Alex Adams of Juju Digital Ltd has been appointed as the on-island project facilitator, acting as a local point of contact for Bruce & Butler.
The project is now at the stage of drafting policy to inform legislation.
Data protection affects everyone because it’s rooted in the basic human right to privacy. It serves to protect the individual and their information.
All organisations that collect or process personal data have a duty of care to those whose data they collect and/or process. This includes public bodies, private sector businesses, NGOs, and youth and community groups. The introduction of legislation and best practice guidelines will ensure organisations meet that obligation. That means any future data protection legislation will affect businesses and organisations that collect or process any amount of personal data.
Public information meetings will take place during May 2024 in various districts across the island. The first meeting will take place at the Half Tree Hollow Community Centre on Thursday 9 May at 19:30. The following information will be discussed:
What is data protection?
What does it mean to the individual?
How might legislation affect businesses and organisations?
Details of subsequent district information meetings will be announced next week. We welcome attendance and input from the public and business owners.
In addition to the public information meetings, more information on data protection will be issued on the radio and via social media.
A period of public engagement on the draft Sustainable Economic Development Strategy and Delivery Plan 2023-2033 (SEDS) has been launched. Once finalised, the SEDS will provide the overarching blueprint for developing the territory’s economy, and will replace the Sustainable Economic Development Plan 2018-2028 (SEDP).
The SEDS has been developed following a reassessment of the SEDP in light of the new government coming to power in 2021. This a reflection of the ambitions and focus areas outlined in the Executive Council’s Vision and Strategy 2022-25, as well as a significantly changed economic climate following the Covid-19 pandemic and introduction of higher speed, lower cost internet.
This required not only a review of the SEDP but also the general economic development policy landscape.
What is in the new SEDS?
The SEDS contain two very clear goals to deliver against:
Growth of the working age population; and
Growth in the proportion of government revenue collected through economic activity.
These two priorities have been identified following a review of our economic development policies, chiefly contained in and driven by the SEDP.
The SEDS outlines six objectives designed to advance either one, or both, of those goals.
An open and accessible island — Open and accessible for people and culture, capital and finance
A productive island — Increase productivity, labour force participation, and capital investment
A breath of fresh air — Preserve and celebrate what makes us unique
A united island — Ensure everyone shares in the benefit
Effective infrastructure — Growth is supported by better infrastructure
Better government — Make St Helena Government a facilitator of business
SHG’s Economic Development Portfolio will now only pursue or support activities that actively support the achievement of these KPIs in the short, medium, or long term. These two measures are the ultimate goals of the SEDS. The SEDS further identifies economic sectors that the island believes can contribute to the realisation of the vision and goals.
On the release of the SEDS, Minister for Economic Development, Mark Brooks, said:
“I am pleased to invite comments on the new Sustainable Economic Development Strategy. The SEDS will be the driving force of change across the economy and will guide all strategic policy decisions. We have already seen this in action with the recent changes to customs duty on heavy busses and heavy machinery, making it more favourable to import these. I am committed to continuing to transform the economic environment to ensure that St Helena’s economy flourishes and we unlock the true potential of this island.”
Feedback on the SEDS can be submitted to Director of Economic Development, Damian Burns, by email through damian.burns@sainthelena.gov.sh.
The SEDS will be presented at a public engagement session. Further details will be announced in due course. A session will also be held at the next meeting of the Chamber of Commerce.
Notes to Editor
The SEDP was St Helena’s strategic plan for developing the economy, and was developed in conjunction with key stakeholders. It provided a guide for achieving the strategic ‘Altogether Wealthier’ goal. It was based on identifying the economic sectors most likely to increase money coming into the St Helena economy, primarily through the export of goods and services, as well as retaining money in the economy through import substitution.
The 2018-28 SEDP guided other key policies and strategies, including the investment strategy, agricultural strategy, and digital strategy.
Despite the wide consultation that was undertaken in developing the 2018-28 SEDP, the policies embodied in it were identified as being due for reassessment, with a view to establishing whether they remained the most appropriate for advancing St Helena’s economic welfare.
In the 2023 Budget Speech, the government announced its revised vision and strategy. That vision and strategy was focused on the following three pillars
1. A change in mind set by St Helena and by SHG;
2. Creating a business friendly enabling environment; and
3. Establishing effective infrastructure to provide economic resilience and certainty, and which lowers the cost of living.
An internal review of the existing SEDP was undertaken in light of the Executive Council’s revised vision and strategy,
That review concluded that SHG should:
Recognise that St Helena as a whole is not wealthier only because it has a larger stock of money on the island, and that what mattered was if and how money was used or invested in the island economy.
Recognise that economic growth is a function of trade (whether domestic or international) and capital formation (whether via investment or the development of human capital), both of which increase productivity and therefore returns to capital (profits) and labour (wages).
Stop pursuing absolute advantage (the greatest level of production) and instead concentrate on areas where St Helena has a comparative advantage (areas where St Helena can make the greatest returns).
Abandon protectionist policies, such as high import duties, as these actually increase input costs to business and therefore undermine economic growth.
The review proposed, therefore, that St Helena pursue an economic policy based around the following key principles:
lower costs and reduce or remove barriers and distortions that inhibit economic activity;
lower barriers to imports and exports;
increase investment;
increase the size of the labour force; and,
increase value adding.
The review led to the drafting of St Helena’s revised economic development strategy. The strategy, now has two clear goals and six clear objectives, by which we will measures ourselves against and focus our work towards.
The St Helena Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) will be hosting the annual British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Conference this year. The conference, the first of its kind to be held in St Helena, will take place with the delegates arriving on Saturday 18 May and departing on Saturday 25 May 2024.
Delegates from 10 parliaments and legislatures across the British Islands and Mediterranean Region will gather on St Helena to join the St Helena Branch for the 53rd BIMR conference. The theme of the conference is ‘Addressing Challenges to Sustainable Development in Times of Global Uncertainty’. A range of topics will be covered, developing attendees’ understanding of the challenges many parliaments face.
Topics will include:
Digital reforms and artificial intelligence
Decentralized finance
Climate emergency
Tourism development
Green energy solutions
Improving agriculture productivity
Benefits of a youth parliament
The programme will also include the BIMR’s Annual General Meeting and a Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentarians (CWP) session to which a small group of St Helena women are invited to attend. In addition delegates will be able to participate in the St Helena Day celebrations and enjoy excursions of their choice.
On the conference, Deputy President of the CPA St Helena Branch Catherine Cranfield said:
“It is a great honour for our island to be hosting the CPA BIMR conference for the first time ever! It’s a valuable opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with other BIMR delegates, sharing their valuable insights and knowledge in their respective fields.
“This is also a great opportunity to showcase to the BIMR delegates this remarkable island and its community.”
Announcing the visit, Minister Scipio said:
“We are honoured to welcome to St Helena delegates from the legislatures of Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Northern Ireland, Scotland, UK and Wales. This will be the first time a CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region conference is hosted in St Helena.”
“Regional conferences such as this, is an ideal opportunity for parliamentarians and staff alike, to join together to network, to learn and to share similar issues in what is often challenging in a fast-moving global context. It is hoped that the attendees who began as delegates, will become colleagues and by the finale, will be friends which illustrates the true spirit of a regional conference.”
The BIMR Regional Secretary Sarah Dickson OBE said:
“The British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Secretary, Sarah Dickson OBE, welcomed the conference “This is a historic moment. I know all the parliamentary delegates are looking forward to coming to St Helena and meeting our hosts for the 2024 annual general meeting for the region. We are hugely grateful to the people of St Helena for what we know will be a warm welcome and to the organisers for all their work preparing for this meeting and the week of discussions and activities.”
Dr Drew Whitworth a researcher from the Manchester Institute of Education, a part of the University of Manchester in the UK, will again be visiting St Helena from Saturday 27 April to Saturday 18 May 2024. This is to continue gathering data for the research project ‘Mapping the Information Landscapes of St Helena’, which Dr Whitworth is undertaking in partnership with Gareth Drabble.
The research will assist St Helena in assessing changes resulting from, and understanding the impact of, the introduction of high-speed internet in St Helena. The research will primarily be focusing on the social objectives of the European Development Fund (11th Round) project to deliver fibre optic connectivity to St Helena through the Equiano cable. These are:
Improved connectivity of households and businesses which will have a substantial positive impact on all socio-economic conditions on the Island;
Reduction in overseas referrals for health diagnostics and treatment which will enable people to remain close to their families while receiving medical interventions. Increased Internet bandwidth which will enable access to modern medical procedures, not currently available on the Island
To enable people with disabilities or a special educational need to reach their true potential and to gain further independence.
Funding for the project was granted in March 2021 by the St Helena Research Institute (SHRI). This was after Gareth and Drew won first prize in the ‘Bridging the Digital Divide Research’ competition, sponsored by SHG’s Fibre Optic Cable and Satellite Ground Station Board.
Drew previously visited the island in November 2021 and January 2023, ahead of the island accessing the Equiano cable. This stage of the research project was concerned with finding out how residents used online resources for education, business, or health, what they thought were the main barriers faced in accessing and making the best use of these resources, and what their hopes and concerns were for the future high-speed environment.
At this midway stage of the project, Drew’s upcoming visit will again attempt to ascertain if any of these variables have changed or have remained the same.
Drew commented:
“When we began this project in 2021, with the help of grant funding from the St Helena Research Institute, it was expected that by this point the island would have secured full access to high-speed broadband through the cable. Obviously, that has not fully happened yet. Nevertheless my third trip will give me the chance to follow-up with some past interviewees, and repeat the mapping sessions to find out what I can about developments since internet packages were upgraded in October last year. I’m also hoping to work with the SHRI on developing some new teaching and learning resources, aimed both at learners on-island and off. We hope this can be used to give islanders some experience in multimedia development.”
As well as interviews, Drew and Gareth will be conducting concept mapping sessions with school children, teachers, local business owners and local health and social care workers. Other groups and organisations are also being pursued to take part in these sessions.
For further information about this project, or to get involved, please contact Gareth Drabble by mobile phone on 62388 or by email through gardrab@live.co.uk, or Drew Whitworth by email through drew.whitworth@manchester.ac.uk.
Note to Editor
A concept map is a diagram that shows the relationships between different ideas and how they are connected. The concept mapping tool used for this research project is called a ‘Ketso’ kit. This comprises of a central workspace (a felt mat), split into four different quadrants.
Using the imagery of a tree, a standard Ketso workshop has a main focus written on the tree ‘trunk’ using washable marker pens and, using Velcro fasteners, stuck in the middle of the workspace. Various felt ‘branches’ can be attached to this trunk to represent different themes associated with the main focus. These branches are then populated with ‘leaves’ which are also written on using the washable markers. The leaves come in four different colours which are green, yellow, brown and grey and can be coded as per the needs of the research study.
Photos
Dr Drew Whitworth presenting at Rosie’s Taste 4 Life during his last visit in January 2023 (Photo credit: St Helena Chevening Alumni)
Ketso Session in progress showing central trunk, branches and leaves (Photo credit: Gareth Drabble)
